Tension threader



Sept. 24, 1957 J. w. MCDANIEL 2,807,285

. TENSION THREADER Filed may 7. 195s 2 Smets-sheet 1 llllllllllllllllllll Il lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Il Fig. 2 James W. Mc Dan/'e/ IN VEN TOR.

Sept. 24, 1957 J. w. McnANlL-:L 2,807,285

TENSION THREADER Filed May 7, 1956 2 Sheets-Shea?I 2 Fig.3

Fig.4

IN VEN TOR.

MM5/m James W. Mc Dan/el Patented Sept. 24, 1957 rnNsroN ".rrnrEADER James W. McDaniel, Raleigh, N. C., `assigner of fifty percent to R. Mayne Albright, Raleigh, N. C.

Application May 7, 1956, Serial No. 583,065 7 Claims. (C l. 139 248) This invention relates to a tension threader and more specifically comprises a resilient filling thread tensioning and holding device specifically adapted for use with automatic battery type looms.

The primary objects of this invention are to provide a ftension device for holding the ends of the filling threads when the filling bobbins are mounted in the magazine of an automatic battery type `of loom; and to provide a tilling thread holding means which will greatly simplify the securing the ends of the lling threads in such a loom and will reduce to a minimum the wastage of threads when the filling ,bobbin of a loom is changed.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved filling thread tensioning holder which may be readily applied to conventional automatic battery type looms without necessitating any change in the battery structure of the loom. Y

A further object of the invention is to provide a tension thread holder in accordance with the foregoing objects wherein an improved gripping action upon the end of a filling thread may be secured, `and whereby the unsightliness and the wastage of filling threads by the present practice of winding such threads about the hub or axle of the battery threader may be avoided.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer tol like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View showing a conventional magazine for the filling thread bobbins of an automatic battery type loom, and to which the novel tension threader of the present invention has been applied;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the arrangement of Figure l, the tension threader being shown in vertical section therein;

Figure 3 is an end elevational View of a base plate member of the threader; and

Figure 4 is an elevational View of a friction clamping plate of the threader.

Conventional automatic looms of the battery type are today provided with a threader consisting of a notched wheel of cast iron and which is attached by its hub portion to the axle or hub of the battery of a loom, as by a set screw. lts use requires the operator of the loom to pull each filling thread from each bobbin in the battery of the loom across the rim of the threader into the notches, and then to wind each thread end around the outer hub or axle of the threader several times until it is held thereto by friction.

The present practice of extending the end of each tilling thread Vfrom the threader and wrapping it several times about the axle or hub of the threader results in a considerable loss of thread, since this portion of the thread is discarded when the lling is severed at the time a bcbbin is changed or replaced in the loom battery, this loss often amounting to at least a pound of thread per week for each loom. Further, this conventional practice results in a very untidy and unsightly arrangement of the large number of threads being wound about the threader axle or hub, and necessitates considerable labor 2 for cleaning the same away when the battery of the loom is' replenished with fresh bobbins of filling.

The disadvantages of the above mentioned prior practice are successfully overcome in the present invention by providing a filling thread tension holder of a simple and inexpensive construction, yet which'will securely frictionally engage the ends of the filling threads; will reduce the `amount of thread wasted each time a bobbin is changed; will result in a much more sightly appearance of the threader portion of a loom; and may be readily applied to any conventional battery type of loom as a replacement for the conventional filling thread holder thereof.

In the accompanying drawings the numeral 10 designates a portion of the framework of a loom upon which the conventional battery indicated generally by the numeral 12 is mounted in the usual manner. This battery includes the usual battery shaft or axle, not shown, to which is applied for the purpose of this invention, a shaft extension 14. The usual plurality of bobbins 15 from which the filling is supplied to the fabric being woven by the loom is also a portion of the conventional construction.

The conventional loom of this type has associated therewith the wheel or disk, not shown, which is secured to the hub 22 by a set screw or the like, and which disk is provided with peripheral notches through which the ends of the filling thread are extended, the terminations of these threads being wound several times about the outer end or hub of the threader whereby frictional engagement retains the ends of the thread thereon.

The novel tension threader or thread holder of the present invention and which is adapted to -constitute a replacement for the conventional thread holder, consists of a generally circular base plate i6 having a plurality of supporting spokes or ribs 1S secured to a hub 20. The latter is Iattachably secured upon the large portion 22 comprising a hub of the battery, as by means of a set screw 24.

It will of course be apparent that the novel tension threader of this invention may be of any desired size. One satisfactory embodiment, adapted for operation with a conventional type of battery illustrated in the drawings, is one wherein the base plate 16 is substantially 14 inches in diameter, the same consisting of a flat annulus having concentric outer and inner peripheries 26 and 2S, the annulus being thus approximately 3 inches in width. Disposed circumferentially about the periphery 26 `are a plurality of radially extending notches 30. Conveniently, there may be provided 28 such notches or slots which are approximately 3A; of an inch in width and 3%; of an inch in depth and are spaced approximately 1.57 inches apart.

Referring now especially to Figures 2 and 3 it will be seen that the base plate member 16, upon its vertical face which is remote from the battery 12, is provided with an annular recess 32 providing a cylindrical shoulder 34. An `annular ring of a suitable material having a satisfactory coeicient of friction, is mounted upon the shoulder 34 and in the recess 32, to provide a friction lining or face 36. This material may conveniently consist of fiber board if desired. The above mentioned notches 30 extend through this material in the manner suggested in Figure 3.

The tension threader yalso includes a second, complementary plate 38 which is likewise provided with an annular frictional facing ring 40 ycomplementary to and cooperating with the ring 36 previously mentioned.

As will be apparent from the drawings, the external circumference 42 of the plate 38 is the same as that of the plate 16, while its inside circumference or periphery 44 is the same as that of the adjacent peripheries of the shoulderv 34 and the linings 36 and 40, previously mentioned.V

However, whereas the.plates.16 constitute a continuous annulus, it is preferred to cut away the lower portion of the plate 38, to thus provide a gap between the adjacent lowerends 46 thereof.

It may be here noted that the adjacent sur-faces 32of the plate 16 and of the plate 38, and of the two anti-friction faces `or linings 36 and 40 are preferably 2 inches in width.

Secured diametrically across the outer face of the plate 38 as by fastening screws 48 is a bar 50. Extending medially and longitudinally of this bar upon its outer or rear face is a knife 52; Intermediate its ends the bar is provided with a bore'or aperture 54 which is disposed axially of the plate 38 and is adapted to receive therethrough the end of the battery shaft extension 14 of the battery of the loom.

Referring now to Figure 2 it will be seen that the outer end of the stationary extension 14 of the stationary regular shaft of the battery is hollow, and receives therein a tension spring 56 having its inner end secured to a diarnetrically `disposed pin 58 in the extension, whileits outer end extends through the open outer end of the axle and is secured to a transversely disposedanchoring .pin 60. This pin rests against the `cross bar 50, whereby the plate 38 is resiliently urged towards the plate 16 to cause frictional engagement of the two linings 36 and 40, as will be apparent from Figures l and 2.

Disposed about the circumference or periphery 42 of the plate 38 are a plurality of V-shaped notches or slots 62, there being 24 suchV notches illustrated. As in the preceding embodiment, these notches are disposed approximately 1.57 inches apart, corresponding with the notches 30 of the plate 16, the notches being 3,46 of an inch wide at the periphery 4,2, and 3A of an inch in depth, their inward end terminating in an opening or eye 64.

The mounting and operation of the device is as follows:

yWhen the conventional thread holder has been removed from the hub 22 of a battery loom, the hub 20 of thebase plate 16 is secured to the hub portion 22 of the battery, whereby the plate 16 rotates with the battery and the plate 38 is secured to the stationary battery shaft extension.14 and does not rotate. The ends of theilling threads 66, see Figure l, of the bobbins 15 carriedby the battery 12 are then disposed across the end of the battery as shown` in Figure 1, and thenstret-ched through the notches 30, 62 of the plates 16 and 38. The thread ends will be extended through and received by the eyes A64 of the plate 38. The tension spring 56, engaged through theA opening 54, whereby the pin will straddle the opening,'as shown in Figures 1 and 2, thereby resiliently urges the twol plates with their frictional surface towards each other during` relative rotation of the plates during the automatic operation of the loom battery.

In this arrangement, as the plate 16 'turns with the battery 12, the plate 38 is held stationary by its mounting upon the stationary battery shaft extension 14 ofthe battery, and resiliently and frictionally clamps the ends of the threads between the two plates. Thezplate 16 thus turns with the battery, one notch'ata time, in the same sequence in which the automatic transfer of the bobbins of the magazineor battery is effected in the operation of the loom. During this rotation, the vyarn or ends of the filling threads which lie throughthe pair of slots 30,v 62 and in the eye 64 are passedbetween the friction-sur-v faces 36 and 40 where they are `automatically locked therein by tension between the two surfaces. They remain locked until after the transfer of the bobbin and-until the bobbins are subsequently removed. Y

During the automatic `operation of the loom, when'the automatic transfer of bobbins takes place, the thread or filling is cut off at the edge ofthe cloth by a device al' ready operative-on the looms. This leaves the end portion'Y ofthe filling threadto be disposed of;` Heretofore disposition was effected byV hand' cleaning ofthe many fillingends. wound about the axle of the threader. In the present invention, however, this removal of the severed ends is effected automatically. It will be noted for this purpose that the lower portion of the disk or plate 38 has about 4 notches omitted therefrom between the two ends 46. Consequently, as relative rotation between the plates 16and 38 occurs duringthe step-by-step operation of the battery of the loom, the gap between the ends 46 successively registers with notches 36 of the plate 16, whereby the severed thread ends held therein may readily fall out since the notches 30 have no retaining eyes equivalent to the eyes 64 for retaining the thread ends therein.

A wiper arm or brush, not shown, may also be mounted adjacent'the cut away portion upon the plate or disk 38 adjacent the ends 46 to assist in positively removing the severed thread ends from the notches 30.

In some instancesthe inner periphery of the disk 16 may be provided with an annular rim or flange overlying the adjacent periphery of the disk 38 to prevent the penetration of lint or.other foreign matter therebetween.

The blade 52 also servesto permit the operator, after pulling fillingl threadsl through the aligned disk or plate notches 30, 62 to sever any knotted or tangled ends extending beyond thesame.

The foregoing is considered asillustrative only of the principles of? the. invention. Further, since numerous modifications: andL changes will readily occur to those -skilled inthe art, it is. not desired t-o limit the invention to the exact construction and loperation shown and described, and accordingly, allsuitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling Within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A filling. thread tension holder for battery looms comprisinga pair of complementary plates, means securing a first plate to the battery of a loom for step-by-step rotation therewith, means for securing the other plate to the stationary battery axle of the loom, friction surfaces on adjacent faces of said plates, resilient means urging said surfaces yieldingly towards each other, registering peripheral notches in both plates for receiving therein the filling ends of. the filling bobbins of the loom battery.

2. The combination of claim 1 including means cooperating with said plates enabling discard of severed filling ends from the notches of said first plate.

3. The combination of claim 1 including means cooperating with said plates enabling discard of severed filling ends from the notches of said first plate, said last mentioned means including a cut away portion on said second plate successively registering with the notches of the first plate during relative step-by-step rotation of said plates.

4. The combination of claim l wherein said securing means comprises a member on said second plate received upon the battery axle.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said securing means comprises a member on said second plate received upon the battery axle, said resilient means having cooperative engagement with said second plate.

6. The combination of claim l wherein said securing means comprises-a member on said second plate received upon the battery axle, said resilient means having cooperative engagement with said second plate and being received within the battery axle.

7. The combination of claim 1 wherein said securing means comprises a'memberV on said second plate received upon the battery axle, a knife mounted on said member for severing the excess of the lling thread ends received in said notches.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 695,045 Goulet Mar. 11, 1902 1,362,121 Stone Dec. 14, 1920 1,612,179 Cunnitf Dec. 28, 1926 

